As a cold goes around at the academy (which Miss Raine, Abigail and Ben have), Abigail discovers an email while waiting in Miss Raine's office that ranks the students' viability for Nationals with either a tick (Tara, Grace and Christian), a cross (Sammy and Abigail) or a question mark in Ben's case, who feels as if this mirrors his life as he waits for the results of his leukemia biopsy check-up. The email, having been sent around, incites the students and angers the teachers. Meanwhile, Sammy is annoyed by criticism from Ollie, Grace is strangely enjoying her intense practice with Zach, and Abigail's ballet teacher mother Anthea arrives at the academy, revealing family troubles and wanting Abigail to dance her old Helen Keller role. Abigail then feels torn between this and her musical role, which she later quits.